Old English herbals 1525-1640 / by Horace Mallinson Barlow.

  • Barlow, Horace Mallinson, 1884-
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Old English herbals 1525-1640 / by Horace Mallinson Barlow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    11/44 (page 9)
    The most interesting of all the editions of this little herbal are those printed by William Copland. As already stated in the remarks concern- ing the last printer, the title-pages of Copland’s issues mark a new era in the career of the work. On account of the new wording of the title and the appearance of the initials “ W. C.,” two important errors have arisen concerning the authorship of the work. These will be referred to later. Title.—A boke of the | propreties of Herbes called an her- | ball, whereunto is added the tyme ye | herbes, floures and Sedes shoulde | be gathered to be kept the whole ye- | re, with the vertue of ye Herbes whe | they are stylled. Also a generall rule | of al manner of Herbes drawen out | of an auncient boke | of Physycke by | W. C. | [ Wood- cut of three roses in triangular 'position within a double circle ; upper rose crowned; riband, “Kyge of flouresT~\ Colophon. — Imprinted at London by Wyllyam | Copland. | Black letter, 8vo, ft*4, A—I8, K4. Title.—A boke of the | propreties of Herbes called an her | ball, whereunto is added the time ye | herbes, floures and Sedes shold | be gathered to be kept the whole | yere, wyth the vertue of ye Her- | bes when they are stilled. Al- | so a generall rule of all ma- | ner of Herbes drawen | out of an auncyent | booke of Phisyck | by W. C. | [Woodcut of garden with lady seated; man approaching, and another holding her from behind. Wall in background, over which are men apparently in considtation.] Colophon. — CL Imprynted at London in the | Flete strete at the sygne of | the Bose Garland by | me Wyllyam Copland. | for John wyght. | Black letter, 8vo, A—K8. Both are undated. In the British Museum Catalogue, the former is assigned to the year 1550, and the latter to 1552. Like Banckes’s edition, the text of each begins with “ Agnus Castus ” and ends with “ Wormewood.” Although the corresponding chapters agree word for word throughout, they are two distinct and different issues. But in addition to the text of Banckes’s, these editions by Copland contain for the first time the three extra chapters already quoted : (1) “ The vertues of waters stylled”; (2) “The tyme of gathering Sedes, floures, herbes, and Bootes . . (3) “A generall rule of all maner of herbes . . In the former edition the second and third of these additions precede the first chapter of the text, “ Agnus Castus,” while the first falls between the end of the text “Wormewood” and the “Table.” In the latter